- J. Neil Schulman Alongside
Night is a novel depicting what
US would have looked like under
hyperinflation, and what people
did about it. Logically written,
and with a sense of humor.

- Mathew Bracken If the
sample chapters are any indication,
the upcoming Enemies
Foreign and Domestic will
be an incredible book, a combination
of the best aspects of Unintended
Consequences (which was an important
but weakly written book), R.A. Heinlein's
Free Men and much original
thought.

- Mike Williamson Recommended:
Freehold, an excellent novel combining the good
aspects of L.Neil Smith and R.A.Heinlein,
without the affectations of either.

- David Weber Recommended:
Honor Harrington series:
witty space opera, though the last
book was unimpressive. A must for
history buffs. Other work decent
but less captivating.

- Victor Davis Hanson'sCarnage and Culture: Landmark Battles
in the Rise of Western Power and Jared
Diamond'sGuns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human
Societies make for a fascinating double feature. These books are
partially counterpoints to each other. They are an excellent intro
into world history unconstrained to European events.

- Brian Garfield
Recommended: Death Wish, an excellent philosophical book, quite
different in scope from the poor film adaptation. Will report on other
books once I read them.

- Anton Chekhov Recommended: most short stories, in
Russian. Great sense of humor and a nice impression of the time and
place in which he wrote.

- Bruce Bethke
Recommended:
Cyberpunk
(leaves Neuromancer in the
dust), Headcrash, almost all
short stories.

- DeCamp Recommended: Falliable
Fiend, Lest Darkness Fall,
almost all short stories except
for the most recent ones. Avoid
series.

- Philip K. Dick Recommended:
all short stories and novelettes.
Often depressing, but always thought-provoking.

- Robert Heinlein Recommended:
most short stories and novelettes
Moon is a Harsh Mistress,
Glory Road. Not recommended:
most longer works...moralistic and/or
literary wet dreams.

- Triplets of Belleville, an almost silent French animation
featuring extremely well-animated and emoted characters and such
visual delights as frog-gigging with German hand grenades. Very
unorthodox storyline.

- Brotherhood of War, well-acted and choreographed film about
Korean War. Proper degree of moral ambiguity, good melee scenes.

- Ambush, a Finnish film about WW2 in Karelia. Beautifully
filmed and well acted, it gives a good idea of how nerve-racking close
combat in the wild was. Wonderful music score completes the somber
mood.